SALT LAKE CITY — MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reiterated this weekend that he’d like to have two new markets selected before he steps down in early 2029, and work is already underway to make sure Salt Lake City is ready should it receive the call at that time.
A site has already been selected within the 100 acres of Rocky Mountain Power land slated for redevelopment, and some of the early planning work is underway, with the hope of being “shovel-ready” for construction within the next year, said Steve Starks, CEO of Larry H. Miller Company.
“I don’t know if Major League Baseball would be ready for it, but — internally — we’ve just said, ‘Good things will happen the more prepared we are.’ So let’s check all the boxes right now and have the readiness,” he said, after helping break ground on the first major project of the “Power District” on Monday.
The company has already started working on utilities and other infrastructure needed for a stadium, according to Brad Holmes, president of Larry H. Miller Real Estate. His team was tasked by Starks to have a “shovel-ready site” prepared ahead of MLB’s anticipated decision.
Renderings have placed the stadium near the Jordan River, but remediation work within the full Power District — a plot of land stretching from the Jordan River to Redwood Road and North Temple to the railroad tracks near I-80 — has taken place over the past few years, including some building demolitions, Starks added. Development agreements are also in place to break ground within three months of an MLB decision.
It shows how Salt Lake City is the “most ready market,” he added.
The company helped launch Big League Utah in 2023, which is when Utah publicized its desire to land an MLB expansion team. Yet, there have been few major updates since then, other than Manfred indicating that he’d like to add two new teams, with one likely in the eastern market and another in the western market, and that it could be decided by the time he leaves his post in 2029.
When baseball gets ready to expand … they’ll look at this site and they’ll see there’s already momentum, there’s already progress.–Steve Starks, CEO of Larry H. Miller Company
That was the message again during this weekend’s World Series festivities, according to Front Office Sports and Fox Sports. One of the holdups remains the future of the Tampa Bay Rays, as it undergoes new ownership that will restart new stadium conversations in Florida, the commissioner said. He also didn’t rule out the possibility of a second Canadian team as part of the process, as he spoke at the media event in Toronto.
Despite the large field, Starks remains confident about Utah’s chances because of the glowing reviews from some of baseball’s top insiders. Salt Lake City and Nashville, Tennessee, appear to remain atop the leaderboard, which he said reflects the strength of the Wasatch Front economy — and all the planning already in place for a stadium.
On top of its own $3 billion development pledge, Utah lawmakers passed a bill last year that allocates up to $900 million for the construction of a stadium the state would ultimately own.
“When baseball gets ready to expand … they’ll look at this site and they’ll see there’s already momentum, there’s already progress,” he said. “A Major League Baseball stadium would help anchor a mixed-use development, and it would be a catalyst for economic growth.”
From left, Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Gail Miller and Dick Garlish, president of Rocky Mountain Power, take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Power District in Salt Lake City on Monday. (Photo: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
There’s a backup plan should MLB pass on Utah, too. It would open up more space for redevelopment, Holmes said. The company has already committed $10 million toward cleaning the Jordan River, improving water quality and its flow.
That section will be central to Power District plans, stadium or not. He envisions a future where there’s more canoeing in the river, along with ice skating, climbing and concerts near its banks. It’d include a picnic space, along with its connection to the Jordan River Parkway Trail, but he said getting there will require safety improvements on top of the environmental work.
“The river’s a big part of (our plans). That’s why that comes next for us,” he said. “We want to activate it.”
Replacing the void with a different stadium — perhaps a new home for Real Salt Lake and the Utah Royals — is not an option the Miller Company is exploring, Starks said. The company, which owns both soccer teams, remains committed to its plans for Sandy, he added.
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